DNV
five point plan to fight substandard ships
Posted: 4June 2003
Dedicated “Flying Squads” with experienced surveyors
is one element in a Five Point Plan established by DNV to step up
the efforts to remove substandard shipping.
“DNV considers quality the single most important factor to
improve safety and serious quality cases the biggest threat to the
public confidence in shipping,” Chief Operating Officer of
DNV’s Classification activities Mr. Tor Svensen said at a
press conference in Oslo Thursday.
Besides the deployment of at dedicated “Flying Squad”,
the Five Point Plan includes improved monitoring of Ultrasonic Thickness
Measurement companies, improved targeting system for potential substandard
ships, actions towards high risk flags and a strengthening of resources
and competence within DNV.
So far this year, seven assignments have been carried out by the
“Flying Squads”, covering all continents. A team of
seventeen experienced surveyors are earmarked for assistance in
special situations, such as surveys of potentially substandard vessels,
fact-finding and quality investigations. Several ships have been
put on the special surveillance scheme as a result of findings by
the “Flying Squads”.
DNV is introducing a more strict approval programme for companies
delivering Ultrasonic Thickness Measurements (UTM).
Tor Svensen said, “The quality of the UTM companies represents
one weak point in the safety chain of international shipping. Surveys
based on incorrect UTM results represent a risk for misjudgements
in the planning and execution of the surveys.”
The new approval programme introduces a performance rating of each
UTM company by DNV. In addition, one man UTM companies will no longer
be accepted.
A DNV surveyor will also be onboard to personally verify the measurements,
and approval certificates will be cancelled for companies not performing
according to the requirements.
A special targeting scheme for potentially substandard ships has
so far this year been instrumental in leading up to the deletion
of 32 vessels due to violation of rules and regulations.
Forty ships are presently under special surveillance. The scheme
uses the “Flying Squads”, require immediate repairs
of any deficiency and a prompt and thorough upgrading, or class
is deleted.
DNV together with International Association of Classification Societies
(IACS) offer Administrations of flags defined by Paris MoU as “medium”
to “high risk” assistance to improve their performance.
“We will cancel agreements with high risk Flags not showing
significant improvements in performance,” said Tor Svensen.
The final element in the Five Point Plan is a strengthening of
resources and competence within DNV.
“We are in the process of employing an additional 40 surveyors
as part of our quality drive. Extraordinary investments of NOK 75
million in quality measures show that we are stepping up our efforts
to fight substandard shiping, knowing that this is the only way
to improve safety. At DNV we are prepared to accept a reduced profit
margin in order to keep up with increased expectations to the performance
of class,” said Tor Svensen.
For more information see www.dnv.com.
Posted by Richard Price,
Editor Pipeline Magazine
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